Book Log 2011 #46: The Twelfth Enchantment by David Liss


The set-up is straight out of Jane Austen. A young woman, tainted by the scandal of a failed elopement and lacking resources after her father dies nearly penniless, is sent to live with an uncle who doesn't want her there. The lack of connection with the uncle and his housekeeper is compounded when she is betrothed to a mill owner she does not like, never mind love.

The change comes when the woman has a chance to turn her life around - through magic. Yes, it turns out that the woman has a gift with the magic arts, and her task to "gather the leaves" is connected to the greater fight between progress and industrial revolution and the artisans led by Ned Ludd. The woman has to develop her gift while balancing the attentions of a young Lord Byron and the man she eloped with, returned with his own agenda.

What I like best about this book is that the magic isn't treated any different than anything else. Some books would focus only on the magic, while others would get into innumerable details about spells, etc. In this case, we get a solid story about a woman trying to make her way, just with the additional help of magic to get there.

While I'm waiting patiently for the next installment in Liss' series featuring boxer turned investigator Benjamin Weaver, this was a very entertaining diversion. Liss is very comfortable writing about this period, and his ability to balance the magical with the historical with the romantic is very much appreciated. I really enjoyed this book, and am glad that it's the one I'm ending 2011 on.